This paper is set within the context of my experiences as an elementary school teacher in British Columbia and as a student in the Master’s of Education program. During my career, I have had the opportunity to teach in a full time classroom from kindergarten through to grade twelve, as well as a learning assistance resource teacher. Through my journey as an educator, I have come to realize that inclusive classrooms has been an educational phrase that has been circulating throughout the Canadian school system for many years. Children with a variety of different abilities, diagnoses, learning challenges, genders, and behaviors are combined within classrooms. With growing communities of diverse learners, teachers are feeling ill-equipped, prepared, and supported by the Canadian school system to properly educate their students. In this paper, I claim that inclusion within mainstream elementary classrooms is not setting up all of our young students for success in their learning and allowing them to reach their full potential. I make this claim based on four points of evidence. First, is that teachers require more support and training. Second, is that mainstream public school classrooms have become increasingly diverse. Another reason is that teachers are left alone to struggle daily with the complex and diverse needs of all of their students. Finally, inclusive education has resulted in escalating demands that continue to grow and are becoming unmanageable. The claims demonstrating that inclusion is not working for all learners are further explored in my application, in which I share my experiences, as well as those of my colleagues. Educators are recognising the need and value for more support within classrooms that moves beyond expecting teachers to manage everything on their own. This inquiry is responsive to the need for increased knowledge and understanding of complex behaviors. I advocate for changes to be made in the approach of inclusion so that teachers are sufficiently supported within their classrooms to improve their efficacy in educating their diverse learners and providing equitable learning for all students.
